Abyssal Echoes

Moonlight filtered through the stained-glass windows, casting mottled angelic silhouettes across the bluestone floor. Yang Jun pressed his palm against the bronze doors of the Holy Relic Hall, the Ice Soul Heart in his hand faintly scorching hot—the stench seeping through the crack was even stronger than that of the Abyssal Observatory.

"Where are the guards?" Yu Xiaogang's blue eyes swept across the empty corridor, the Blue-Silver Pattern on his forehead glowing faintly. According to Church rules, eight Red Cardinals should have been rotating guard duty outside the Holy Relic Hall.

Bibi Dong's Violet Eyes swept over the shadows in the corner as the Eight Spider Lances silently pierced the ground—the spider silk conveyed faint vibrations: three corpses, their Soul Power drained dry, Soul Tools engraved with angelic Runes embedded in their chests.

"Qian Xunji is waiting for us." She licked the blood from one of her spider lances, a purple-black drop gleaming eerily beneath the moonlight. "Or... he's waiting for it."

With a flick of her finger, a fragment of spider silk drifted toward the bronze door—the instant it touched the knocker, it hissed and corroded into black smoke.

Yang Jun's blue eyes abruptly narrowed. "There's an abyssal curse on the door." He pressed the Ice Soul Heart against it, and frost spread through the seams as the Runes on the bronze doors began to freeze.

Boom!

The doors were slammed open from within!

An Abyssal Beast the size of a lion leaped out, its crimson pupils reflecting the figures of the three of them. Three broken Angel Scepters were lodged in its back, while black parasites writhed within its wounds.

"It's an Abyssal Demon Lion!" Yu Xiaogang's Thunder Spirit awakened instantly, and the Blue-Silver Pattern burst with dazzling blue light. "They shouldn't be inside the Church!"

Yang Jun transformed the Ice Soul Heart into an Ice Blade and slashed at the demon lion's throat. The moment the blade touched its fur, it was corroded by black mist spewed out by the parasites—yet the black mist carried the golden radiance of the Angel Scepters!

"Careful! The parasites have been enhanced by Angel Soul Power!" Bibi Dong's Eight Spider Lances wove a Spider Web around the demon lion's four limbs. As soon as it touched the parasites, the web began to dissolve. Bibi Dong let out a muffled groan, purple-black blood spilling from the corner of her mouth. "They... are devouring my Soul Power!"

Thunder erupted from Yu Xiaogang's palm and struck the demon lion in the chest. The lightning shattered the parasites, and the demon lion released a shrill howl, but fresh black mist immediately poured from its wounds—a mixture of the Angel Scepters' golden light and abyssal black mist!

"Yang Jun! Purify it!" Yu Xiaogang gritted his teeth and drove his Soul Power forward, blood beginning to seep from the pattern on his forehead. "The thunder can only suppress it temporarily. We need the Ice Soul Heart to cleanse it completely!"

Ice crystals shimmered in Yang Jun's blue eyes as the Ice Soul Heart floated above his head, cold air sweeping through the entire Holy Relic Hall. Frost spread over the demon lion's fur, freezing the black mist into black ice crystals. Countless twisted faces surfaced across the crystals, letting out anguished howls:

"The Abyssal Tide... is about to descend... Spirit Hall... will also sink into ruin..."

The demon lion's body suddenly exploded, scattering fragments of mingled black mist and golden light in every direction. Bibi Dong's Silk Soul Crystal suddenly shone with blinding purple light, drawing the scattered fragments into itself!

"Bibi Dong!" Yang Jun lunged toward her, but the Silk Soul Crystal had already absorbed every fragment. A trace of confusion flashed through Bibi Dong's Violet Eyes, and the Runes of the Abyssal Mother Nest emerged deep within her pupils!

"I... am fine." She clutched her chest as the Silk Soul Crystal in her palm grew faintly hot. "It... is telling me something."

Yu Xiaogang's gaze fell upon the crystal platform at the center of the Holy Relic Hall—the Angel Scepter should have rested there, but now there was only a mass of solidified black mist. Qian Xunji's phantom appeared within it, his golden eyes carrying a smile.

"You have discovered the truth... very good."

"The Angel Scepter's power was forged using Abyssal Power from the very beginning."

"And you... will be the keys to unleashing the Abyssal Tide."

The moment the phantom dispersed, black blood suddenly seeped from the walls of the Holy Relic Hall, while countless twisted faces emerged from the floor—they were Church guards corroded by Abyssal Parasites!

"Move!" Yang Jun transformed the Ice Soul Heart into an ice shield and stood before the other two. "Qian Xunji has set a trap here!"

Bibi Dong drove the Eight Spider Lances into the ground, and spider silk instantly wove itself into a massive web. The web wrapped around the three of them and flew toward the outside of the Sacred Martial Hall. But the black blood on the walls suddenly gathered into tentacles and ensnared the Spider Web!

"Yu Xiaogang! Use Thunder Purification on the tentacles!" Bibi Dong gritted her teeth and forced her Soul Power onward as the web began to corrode beneath the black blood.

Thunder erupted from Yu Xiaogang's palm and struck the tentacles. It shattered them, but the pattern on his forehead began to ache violently—his mother's Soul Power was being overdrawn!

"Yang Jun! Hurry!" Blood spilled from Yu Xiaogang's lips, and the blue light of the pattern on his forehead began to dim.

Determination filled Yang Jun's blue eyes as the Ice Soul Heart suddenly burst with dazzling blue light—it was a sign that he was pouring his own Soul Power into the Ice Soul Heart!

Ice Soul: Final Burial!

Cold air swept through the entire Holy Relic Hall, freezing the black blood, tentacles, and twisted faces into ice crystals. Qian Xunji's phantom appeared within the crystals, a hint of surprise in his golden eyes.

"You can actually unleash the Ice Soul Heart's ultimate skill... what a pity, the price is too great."

Yang Jun's body slowly collapsed, the Ice Soul Heart in his palm dim and lifeless. Bibi Dong's Silk Soul Crystal suddenly flared with blinding purple light and wrapped around Yang Jun's body—the spider silk somehow carried a trace of thunderous energy!

"Yu Xiaogang! Take Yang Jun and go!" Bibi Dong drove the Eight Spider Lances into the ground, and spider silk instantly formed a barrier. "I'll hold them back!"

Tears welled in Yu Xiaogang's blue eyes. He picked up Yang Jun and pressed his forehead against Bibi Dong's shoulder. "Bibi Dong... we will definitely come back for you."

A smile appeared in Bibi Dong's Violet Eyes. "Go! Or I'll tie you up with spider silk and throw you out myself!"

Yu Xiaogang gritted his teeth, turned around, and flew toward the outside of the Sacred Martial Hall with Yang Jun in his arms. Behind him came Bibi Dong's furious roar and the sound of the Eight Spider Lances colliding with black-blood tentacles.

Carrying Yang Jun on his back, Yu Xiaogang knelt beneath an ancient pine at the edge of a cliff. Yang Jun's blue eyes remained shut, the Ice Soul Heart in his palm dim and lifeless. The Blue-Silver Pattern on Yu Xiaogang's forehead was fading as he reached out with trembling fingers toward his mother's ring—the tiny inscription on its inner side suddenly glowed blue:

"Thunder Purification, Heart Undying."

"Heart Undying..." Tears shimmered in Yu Xiaogang's blue eyes. He pressed the ring to Yang Jun's chest, and the pattern on his forehead erupted with its last blue light. "Mother... please help me!"

Thunder burst from his palm and flowed into Yang Jun's body. Yang Jun's blue eyes slowly opened, and the Ice Soul Heart suddenly emitted a faint blue glow—it was a sign that the thunder was merging with the Ice Soul Heart!

"Yu Xiaogang..." Yang Jun's voice was faint. He grasped Yu Xiaogang's hand and felt it turning cold. "What did you do?"

The Blue-Silver Pattern on Yu Xiaogang's forehead began to disappear, though he still wore a smile. "I used my mother's Soul Power... to awaken the Ice Soul Heart's thunder power." He looked toward the Holy Relic Hall, where Bibi Dong's roars were growing fainter. "Yang Jun... we have to save Bibi Dong."

Ice crystals gleamed in Yang Jun's blue eyes as the Ice Soul Heart suddenly burst with dazzling blue light—the power born from the fusion of thunder and the Ice Soul Heart!

"Let's go." He helped Yu Xiaogang to his feet and looked toward the Holy Relic Hall. "This time... I'll protect you."